Department of History

In the College of Arts & Sciences, we are proud to celebrate our first-generation community through a collection of stories! We honor our faculty and staff, and their many contributions to our university community and beyond.

The "996" schedule is 12-hour shifts, 6 days a week and it's captivated Silicon Valley tech leaders. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, about this workplace trend.

The University of Washington’s Public Lectures series once again offers an exceptional lineup of speakers and topics. Explore the lectures and join us in celebrating the collaboration and curiosity that make these programs possible.

Seattle-area residents are setting their sights on the future in light of the precarious ceasefire announced between Israel and Hamas this week. Liora Halperin, professor of history and international studies at the UW, is quoted.

The Department of History is saddened by the death of Professor Emeritus Quintard Taylor, who passed away September 21, 2025. A renowned scholar of Black history, Taylor joined the department in 1999 and retired from teaching in 2018. He continued to research and write on African American history following his retirement, devoting particular attention to the award-winning website that he founded, BlackPast.org, the world’s largest online encyclopedia dedicated to Black history.

Tuesday marked two years since Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups carried out multiple coordinated attacks in Israel - killing over a thousand people. Around 250 Israelis were taken hostage.Liora Halperin, professor of history and international studies at the UW, is interviewed.

Quintard Taylor, a professor emeritus of history at the UW, was a legendary scholar of Black history in Seattle and the American West. He passed away last month at 76 years old.

Quintard Taylor, a professor emeritus of history at the UW, died Sept. 21 after devoting his life to teaching history and educating people across the globe about Black history, particularly the history of the American West.

Quintard Taylor died Sunday in Houston. He was 76 years old. A professor emeritus of history at the UW, Taylor started the research website BlackPast. This story includes excerpts from a prior interview with Taylor.

Working 9 to 5 is a way to make a living. But in Silicon Valley, amid the competitive artificial intelligence craze, grinding 996 is the way to get ahead. Or at least to signal to those around you that youre taking work seriously. Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Quintard Taylor, a prominent professor at the University of Washington and the founder of an online archive of Black history that reached curious minds across the globe, died Sunday at 76. Taylor was professor emeritus of history at the UW. Ana Mari Cauce, professor of psychology and UW president emerita, is quoted.

"It has happened before: an upset victory by a Democratic Socialist in an important primary election after an extraordinary grassroots campaign," writes James Gregory, professor of history at the UW.

The two-month patrol stopped supposedly suspicious individuals from crossing into California from other states. But its execution was uneven, and the initiative proved controversial. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.

Microsoft is spending $4 billion dollars on workshops, technology, and other initiatives to get artificial intelligence into the hands of millions of people around the world. So, what does it mean for all of us? Margaret O'Mara, professor of history at the UW, is interviewed.

Throughout history, iterations of the waterfront have propelled Seattle and reflected the citys essential character. Thats why the latest, revamped version of the space is so important, aside from its $800 million price tag. Will the new waterfront reconnect residents with the Salish Sea? Cater to selfie-taking tourists? Build Seattles global brand? The project says something about the city today and where it could be headed next. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is quoted.